


Chapter Forty: Guardians at the Gate

by CavalierConvoy



Series: MTMTE Series One: Shoot Straight with a Crooked Gun [41]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers Generation One, Transformers Generation Two
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Friendship, Gen, Love/Hate, Other, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Plans, Post-Divorce, Starscream ruins everything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2015-04-08
Packaged: 2018-03-21 19:38:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3703225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CavalierConvoy/pseuds/CavalierConvoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Epilogue of <i>Ten Seconds to Sunrise</i>: Starscream returning to the fold unsettles the Wreckers, specifically Artemis and Skyfire. When he throws his chits into the mission, the suspicion is doubled down, as his former lovers both know he should never be trusted.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Elite Guard's bookkeeper Smokescreen befriends Cavalier, and his intentions may not be altogether innocent...</p><p>Instrumental: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D4QIf4Ot7o">Guardians at the Gate</a> by audiomachine from <i>Chronicles</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Chapter Forty: Guardians at the Gate

_Little Vengeance_  
Approximately five light years from Betelgeuse Supernova  
Five Stels Ago

Sandstorm had his guns primed; Octane, his shield, and both had barricaded the cockpit door.  


"I've surrendered, at your mercy," Starscream reminded, hands still raised. "All I ask is that you hear me out."  


Even Skyfire issued a harrumph of disbelief.  


"What the hell are you doing here?" Artemis demanded.  


"Hey, boss lady, what do I tell Springer and co?" Cavalier demanded from the cockpit.  


"Hail Springer direct," Artemis ordered. "Tell him we had a complication; the occupant did not survive."  


"I surrendered!" Starscream snapped. "I have information on Legion and Galvatron, and this is the thanks I get?"  


"Forgive us if we're reluctant to believe you," Skyfire retorted. "Your record for telling the truth has been less than stellar."  


"Besides, what happened to your cheering squad?" Octane demanded.  


Starscream dropped his arms, slumped his shoulders and sighed. "In my attempts to rally an army, a — misunderstanding — with some scavengers had left Sonyx and her followers ... how shall I put it delicately? ... departed from this mortal coil."  


"Yet you survived," Artemis growled.  


"You may be amused to learn that the scavenger in question was aiming for me; what should one otherwise expect from someone named 'Misfire'? But to continue, I then hooked up with the treasure hunter Lockdown—"  


Artemis' lip curled into a snarl.  


"—and his crew, looking to cash in on Thunderwing's bounty for Legion — twenty-five shanix a head for foot soldiers, one-hundred for officers. And then they learnt of someone's personal bounty of thirty-five thousand shanix on my head —" this, he glared at Artemis "—and threw me in their brig. Which then they learnt they were looking at an old roster, and that the bounty had not only been retracted, but I was now deemed by Cybertron High Command as an Extinction Level Event, so Lockdown got the bright idea to put me in an escape pod and launch me into a star nearing supernova." He flashed one of his damned smirks. "He miscalculated the trajectory."  


"That explains the 'how'." Artemis crossed her arms over his chest. "So how much did you offer to sell me out for?"  


"What makes you think I'd stoop to your level?"  


"Like you'd surrender that easily. So did you offer him double? Triple? Or did you offer him a ranking position in your nonexistent army?"  


"Well, it's nice to know nothing's changed between them," Octane grumbled.  


"Hah! Like I'd spend a single shanix on your worthless shell! No, I argued the bounty was negated after my official death —"  


"—Which prompted them to check the roster, learn about the galactic powers rescinding any and all bounties on you, and shove you in an escape pod with the intention of firing you into an exploding sun!" Artemis pointed a finger at Starscream's nose. 

"That can still be arranged, and I can assure you, my aim is much better."  


"That's enough, both of you!" Skyfire snapped. "What's done is done."  


"The voice of reason, as always — "  


"Shut up, I'm not done talking," Skyfire retorted, surprising all aboard. "You've complicated matters, Starscream. You've compromised our mission, and for what? Saving your own shell? Did you believe the Autobots would give you clemency, is that why you programmed a distress signal using a frequency dedicated for scientific exploration?"  


Sandstorm shared a surprised glance with Octane. Skyfire was angry, firing both barrels. Cavalier joined the two at the door jamb, peering past Octane's shield. "Good time to relay something to the boss?" She hissed.  


Octane shook his head. "Sit tight and enjoy the show, Brat," he suggested. "This has been a long time coming."  


"So I'm not allowed to survive?" Starscream protested, snapping an accusing finger first to Skyfire, then Artemis. "How in hell was I supposed to know Legion was involved? All I know is that Lockdown tried to kill me, and I did what I could to survive."  


"You've got a war crime rap sheet a light-year across," Artemis countered. "No, you're not allowed!"  


"In case you haven't noticed, we are at war, and might I also point out both of you are ill-qualified to pass judgement on me." He harrumphed. "Personal grudges."

"You want to pull this legal slag with me?" Artemis took a step forward; Skyfire caught her shoulder, holding her back. "You're on my ship, flyboy; you're at my mercy, what little I've got left."  


"And I've surrendered, which means under your precious rules of engagement, I will be protected until I have my trial."  


"That puts you at an interesting position," Skyfire frowned. "Because the question is not whether you are guilty or innocent, but in which way you'll be imprisoned."  


"Art, Springer's wanting to chat, ASAP," Cavalier interrupted. "He wants you on the Xantium. Alone-like, even."  


"For frag's sake, what did you tell him?" she demanded, storming towards the cockpit.  


"I'm not going to lie to Springer!" Cavalier retorted, pointing her finger at Starscream. "Gashole threw you off the comm tower in Autobot City, in case you've forgotten!"  


"No," Artemis glared at Starscream with an ugly snarl. "I haven't."  


"See? Personal grudge!" the former Air Commander snapped.  


"Anyone got cuffs?" Artemis growled.  


Octane produced a pair of traditional alloy handcuffs from a compartment at his hip and tossed them to his captain, who caught them one-handed.  


"Where did you get those?" Sandstorm's brow arched, his mouth parted in a grimace.  


Octane chortled. "Long story involving a weigh station in the Hydrus system and a bored security 'bot."  


The shorter triple-changer rolled his optics with a disgusted groan.  


"Sky, bring the _Ell-Arr_ closer to the _Vindication._ Let the Eee-Gee deal with this gashole. Cav, let Springer know we're on our way. Sandstorm, Octane, you're on guard duty with me." Artemis slapped the irons on one of Starscream's wrists, then yanked his arm back.  


He made a noise, not quite a cry, in pain. "Easy, you sanctimonious brute! My arm doesn't bend that way!"  


She leaned against him, from behind, bringing her face next to his helm. "Oi, Flyboy, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either way is fine by me."  


"You're the reason they coined the term 'police brutality,' wench," he rifled back as she wrenched his other arm behind his back and locked the cuffs.  


"Keep it up and we'll gag you," she countered. "Bolt a plate to your face. Got some news -- no one cares about you. The only ones who did are in this room, and you destroyed any chance of that saving your shell." She stalked around to face him. "So which will it be?"  


The echoes from their argument faded, enveloping the three in the white noise of the ship's engine. Skyfire stood, the sentinel, waiting for one or the other to make a move. He sighed, bowing his head, then slid between them towards the cockpit, breaking their angered optic contact.  


A flicker of ... something ... crossed Starscream's face as he and Artemis turned their heads with Skyfire's departure. Before she followed, Starscream stepped close, pressing his shoulder against hers, in mockery of intimacy, and whispered into her audio receptor, "Don't think for a click I'll let this slide, Prime."  


"Bring your A-game, Flyboy," she retorted with equal animosity. "I'm done with you." Turning on her heel, she orderd, "Octane, clear out my berth and lock the gashole in there until we get the go to finish what Lockdown started."  


"Oh, joy, Autobot bureaucracy," Starscream snarked.  


Artemis barked a laugh as Octane crept by the toxic parley, pressed against the wall of the hold as though terrified to be noticed. "We're flying under the Wrecker flag; what makes you think you'll see the inside of a courthouse?"  


"I have rights as a prisoner of war," he reminded, not in protest. He was baiting her, and Primus, how hard it was to not take it swinging!  


Instead, she smirked. "What makes you think you're a prisoner of war?" she questioned. "You're an abomination, a crime against creation. You've been walking dead ever since you crossed Unicron's crosshairs. Anything that happens to you at this point? Natural decay of things. You're a mutant spark taking residence in a modified Sweep shell. Nothing more. You are already dead, outside Autobot 'bureaucracy'. There are no rules to deal with you. We make them up as we go along, and how unfortunate you were picked up by the two mechs immune to your antics."  


"Are you threatening me, Prime?"  


"Artemis, enough!" Skyfire pleaded.  


"Just punch him unconscious if you're not gonna kill him outright!" Sandstorm shouted.  


"You think you're 'immune'?" Starscream grinned, "Yet why are you hesitating?"  


Octane crossed the hold with a footlocker dragging behind him, pausing as though to ask Artemis where to put it, but reluctance to interrupt the argument superseded the question and he continued on his way to Skyfire's berth.  


"Sandstorm, give me a hand with brigging this slag pile; Sky, shut down nonessential controls to his cell and engage prisoner protocol. We'll go over details after the prisoner is secured."  


"Oh, now I'm 'the prisoner' — "  


Artemis's arm ratcheted back and flew, striking Starscream's face with a full-knuckled backhand that sent him staggering. Without giving him a chance to recover, she pounced, pressing his head against the bulkhead.  


"Artemis!" Skyfire warned, more horrified than angry.  


"C'mon, Prime," Sandstorm clapped her shoulder before taking Starscream's arm none-too-gently. "The sooner we take care of the trash, the better you'll feel."

  


*

  


She had shown weakness; her anger had taken over. Sitting between Skyfire and Octane, Artemis stared at the deck, wringing her hands. Cavalier had remained quiet throughout the exchange, optics everywhere save her commander; Sandstorm clenched and unclenched his fists.  


"We need to get rid of him," Octane suggested. "I don't like what he brings out in you, Arty."  


"I second that," Sandstorm agreed. "Don't care what you say, Art, he knows what buttons to push."  


"And the first ones he's going to go after is getting the two of you on opposing sides," Octane continued, indicating with an index finger at Artemis, then Skyfire. "He's gonna reason with Sky while riling Arty. I've seen it happen before, you two. And we can't afford that. This is me, being serious for once. We need to get rid of him."  


"Springer's still waiting for your response," Cavalier reminded, her voice small.  


"All right, here's the plan," Artemis sighed, rubbing her face in her hands before sitting upright. "Cav, you're with me. Sky, I want you concentrating on working out the equations with Percy and Brainstorm via radio, while Octane and Sandstorm will act as wardens. I don't want any audio between you and Starscream — " this, she directed to Skyfire — "until I return. And hopefully, we can send him back with either the Xantium or the Vindication. Garrus-9 has a spark extraction unit; hopefully they can take care of our little complication."  


"Artemis," Skyfire cleared his throat. "I—I think it might be prudent that I accompany you as well. I have full confidence in Sandstorm and Octane's...resistence...."  


Octane stuttered before finding his words. "Strength in numbers! Strength in numbers!" he reminded.  


"And what's stopping us from shoving him back into the 'pod and jettisoning him into the supernova?" Sandstorm demanded.

"Oh, shorty," Octane sighed, slumping his shoulders. "It's a bit more complicated than that."  


Artemis regarded the white and red giant. "You don't trust yourself either, do you?" she questioned.  


Skyfire's lips pressed together into a grim line. "His ability to make a convincing argument is...disconserting."  


"Permission to shoot if the prisoner gets hostile?" Sandstorm questioned.  


"Permission to blow up the Primusdamned ship if needed, granted," Artemis snapped. "Skyfire, Cavalier, let's go. Sooner we get the gashole off our hands, the sooner we can get back on our mission."

  


*

  


_Xantium_

  


Skyfire sat with Perceptor, studying three-dimensional galactic charts. It was a welcome distraction for the giant, but there were...moments...where he would take a moment to collect himself from a memory, a trigger.  


It did not escape Cavalier's sharp optics; she sat atop a table, legs swinging, next to her Smokescreen, an excitable fellow new to the Elite Guard. He described his position as being a statistician, but it was the tone of a boast in attempts to one-up her sniper/hacker status amongst the Wreckers.  


"You're a bookkeeper," she chuckled, holding up her hands. "I just hope the Eee-Gee has the sense to arm their bookkeepers, at least?"  


"I've seen battle," Smokescreen retorted, then deflated. "When I ran with Pop-Op, that is. Promise you won't tell anyone this?"  


"Sweetspark, secrets are commodities in the universe. And if it's in your service records, it ain't a secret. But I'll state for the record that any information you wish to divulge with me will not be spread by my voice."  


"I got pulled off active roster for an incident in Monacus. Problem is, I'm good with numbers, so they put me on records for the local ships, and ... well, when Legion flexed their muscle, they started assigning us to the star cruisers. So here I am. It's cool, I suppose, and as much flack as I get from Blue — Bluestreak's my brother, in case the resemblance isn't apparent — I'm glad to be with the more laid back members." Smokescreen brought his attention to the Minibot. "So, can you answer me something? I heard Jazz and the others call Artemis the Wrecker Prime. What's up with that?"  


"Oh, she'll love that," Cavalier chortled. "Y'see, unlike your 'What happens in Monacus stays in Monacus, unless it's scraplets', Smokey, there's stories that Iacon doesn't want out. Boss lady represents one of them. You've lucked out in riding with Jazz, 'cuz he's one with the intel and the chits on her. Springer, too."  


"Jazz says she's on the level," Smokescreen nodded, then leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Cav, I need to get this off my chest, then because...I think you guys are in danger. Not just the Wreckers, but you guys especially. I found a communique between Iacon and Elite Guard personnel, meant for the higher-ups."  


"They want to drag Art back to Iacon. Pfft. Old news."  


"The hammer she carries," Smokescreen initiated, "where did she get that?"  


"Roadbuster gave it to her when she joined up; ask him where he got it."  


"It's an relic of the Thirteen," the larger Autobot continued. "They said she stole it from the Archives. Thing is, that's where I spent most of my time between Monacus and now, and I never came across that, at least in physical form."  


"What do you mean by that?" Cavalier questioned.  


"There's records of it; it's called the Magnus Hammer, replicas of The Forge, a mythical weapon said to be wielded by Solus Prime, the Artificer. It was a tool-slash-weapon used by high priests, then when followers waned, it was adopted as an officer's weapon, primarily for military police."  


"First: meesa impressed. Second: officially, they want to drag her aft in for wielding stolen valour?"  


"Well, it got me thinking," Smokescreen admitted. "Why would they bother going after one Wrecker with a melee weapon that may or may not be culturally significant? Because it's one of the Magnus hammers? They're old, yeah, but they're not special. Let me rephrase that: they're not exactly Archive-worthy; there's seven in the Senate chambers alone. There should be more important things to consider than that. And that...bothers me."  


"Official Nyonian motto? 'Don't Trust Politicians.' Maybe not official, but yeah, same diff."  


"Now, this is totally me overstepping my boundaries, but..." Smokescreen met Cavalier's optics, "...but I heard your crew talking. You were talking about it like you knew what it was."  


Cavalier's optics narrowed, and her posture became guarded.  


"Thing is, you didn't call it a Magnus hammer."  


"Smokey, stop right there," she held up a finger. "I like you. I do. But if you're gonna continue this, you gotta promise me — "  


Now he smiled. "Are you religious, Cav?"  


"Does the worship of all things Go Nagai count?"  


He continued as though the answer was "no". "Well, regardless, there's one thing I do believe. Religion and politics should never mix." He looked back down at his hands, wringing them together. "The Vindication crew aside — many of us served Optimus, and trace our loyalties back to him — I think the Senate's moulding the Elite Guard to be some sort of paladin force. They've got a...not commander, per se, but a figurehead, I guess. He's...overtly religious."  


"Cavalier! Skyfire! Wrap it up — we're leaving!" Artemis snapped, storming into the observation lounge en route to the shuttle bays. She had been angry when she boarded the Xantium; now she was threatening nuclear detonation.  


"Hashtag: that's my cue," Cavalier grumbled, sliding off the table, turning to regard her new friend. "Ciao, Smokey! Catch you on the flip-flop!"  


"Cav!" Artemis barked.  


"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Falling in step behind the blue and black Autobot, Cavalier kept pace with Skyfire, three steps for every one of his.

"We're stuck with him," the front mech snarled. "We're fraggin' stuck with him. I can't fraggin' believe it."  


"Artemis — " Skyfire beckoned, reaching out to take her shoulder, but stopped short from actual contact. His voice wavered, betraying emotion cracking through his stoicism.  


"Not now," Artemis ordered. "Hot-berth mission: around the clock surveillance on the prisoner."  


"Wait, we've...we've gotta..." the words caught in Cavalier's throat. "Art, no, we can't!"  


"I'm with you, Cav." Artemis's tone was bordering on her slipping into Sirian, a growling, guttural language more suited for expressing the waves of anger radiating off of their squad leader. "Right now, we need to get back to the Ell-Arr, and we're going to hash out a plan of attack."  


Cavalier wanted to bring up what Smokescreen had revealed to her, but at that click, the threat of a religious nutter in charge of the Elite Guard paled in comparison to the threat on board the Little Revenge.

  


NEXT CHAPTER:   
_Shoot Straight with a Crooked Gun:_ Realm of the Senseless  



End file.
